Your boat turns upside down and you’re there, holding each other, thinking for a split second that seems to last for an eternity ‘is she going to turn upright?’ After experiencing a raging storm, waves the size of buildings and winds that you can't stand up in we abandoned ship on Wednesday night.

We were sailing from New Zealand to Australia in our boat Val as part of a 10-year circumnavigation of the globe. We experienced problems with the rudder on Saturday, but ploughed on. It wasn’t until Wednesday morning in six-metre swells and gale-force southerly winds, that we really felt that this could be it and we called for help. We were rescued by heroes at Australian Maritime Safety Authority while Val was left to drift at sea.

We met at sea and lived on the twelve-meter yacht for the past 10 years. Our home’s gone, we’re alive, I expect to live a little bit longer and that’ll be okay.

We are raising funds of up to 50k to help us to retrieve Val from the Tasman sea. Thank you in advance for any donation you maybe able to give.

Nick and Barbara. Help rescue Val - our boat, our life and our home.

More information at nickdwyer.com